List of Travel the Road episodes

This page is a list of "Travel the Road" episodes

eason 1: 2003 [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780441/episodes IMDB Episode Synopsis] ]

*1 - "The Journey Begins" - After traveling half-way around the world, the missionaries arrived in Karachi, Pakistan, the starting point of their 18-month mission. Thirty hours of train and bus rides later, Tim, Will and Joe eventually found themselves in Peshawar, Pakistan. Once they arrived in Peshawar, the missionaries soon realized the need to be open to God’s will. Following a time of prayer the night before, Tim recalled, “God put something in each of our hearts that we should not go to the Kalasha. We feel instead to go to Tibet and do work there. We’re just going with what God has planned for us and we’re going to try to accomplish that to the fullest”. Tim summarized their future quite simply: “We’ll go any direction, any place, anywhere, anytime”. With this change of plans, the decision was made and they were off to Tibet. Tim spoke of the frustrations of traveling the road without an interpreter: “One problem we did encounter in Tibet was finding an interpreter. All our spirits are alive. We’re ready to start doing some work in the Himalayas, on the plains, wherever God may take us; we’re ready to go there and start doing something”. Without an interpreter, however, it was impossible to minister to the people, who were very devoted to what they believed in yet open to hearing the truth. Upon arriving in Lahatze, China, the missionaries received some powerful news. Here they met a Dutch couple who relayed the healing power of God from earlier in their mission. In Tibet, Tim and Joe had prayed for a Korean girl deathly ill with altitude sickness. Tim said, “As we laid our hands on her, she reacted in a way that she knew something was there, that there was a presence. We had the victory in our hearts that she got her healing”. It would be days later when they met the Dutch couple, who confirmed the good news stating, “Before we left we visited the Korean girl in the hospital. The doctor said that there were two Americans inside praying for the girl. And when we came in the evening it seems she was looking really good, much better than in the morning. She was talking and very happy; the day before she was unable to speak and in a pretty bad way. Something happened”. Unbeknownst to their unbelieving Dutch friends, the missionaries recognized the power of God and that He had responded to their fervent prayers. This was a humbling yet joyous occasion. They praised God for the report and pressed on. After hearing of the Korean’s girl’s healing, the missionaries met up with a Pastor (named Ezekial), who leads a church of 250 in the jungle of Nepal. This was the moment they had been waiting for, as God provided an interpreter and the opportunity to minister to the locals. Joe preached to the unreached and reflected on their challenges and God’s leading during the first few months as they traveled the road. God’s new direction for their mission and His provision increased their faith as the missionaries prepared to move on to the next stop on their journey, Ethiopia.
*2 - "Desert Destiny: Asia To Africa"-Before leaving for India on their way to Ethiopia, the missionaries received a phone call from Michael Scott, Executive Producer of Travel the Road in Los Angeles, California. The news was chilling as Michael shared, “Will, I’ve got some bad news. There was a plane crash in Taiwan. A lot of people died. There’s one other thing. You know all the footage you guys shot? The package that you shipped back, it was on that flight”. Receiving the haunting news and its deep impact, Tim recalled, “Hearing the news was devastating. All those people who lost their lives, and our small package of film that carried the testimony of the Lord was gone also. You try to understand why things like this happen. But a restless mind can never give answers. You have to trust the Lord and believe even in the darkest hour. You must have faith and grab hold of the assurance in Him”. Having received the news about the airplane crash, the missionaries had a choice, as Tim described, “You can either fail or decide to press on”. So press on they did, as they boarded a plane to New Delhi, India, the next stop on their way to Ethiopia. The missionaries were energized and ready to minister after attending services at Winners’ Church in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the packed-in congregation showed no restraint in praising God. Before setting out to the deserts of northern Ethiopia, things seemed to get worse before getting better when Michael called with an update on the crash. Michael related, “Will, I talked to the airline. They said our package was completely destroyed”. Despite the bad news, the missionaries’ faith remained strong, remembering they had recently put the crash and lost video footage behind them. So they set out to Serdo, where they encounter the Afar people. The highlight of their ministry was sharing the Gospel with a young boy named Abraham, a local interpreter. Having traveled out of the deserts of northern Ethiopia, the missionaries wondered about the contents of the letter that awaited them at the post office in Addis Ababa. It was the first letter they had received from Michael Scott in quite some time. Anxiously, they read the following words that left them speechless:

Dear Tim and Will:You’ll never believe this. One week ago, I was called by the airline. They asked me to describe the package you shipped home. When I told them what to look for, they suddenly said ‘we have your package’. They sent it to me. Even though every tape was wet and covered in jet fuel, they all played fine. In short, every tape and film for the last four months has been recovered.

Your brother,Michael ScottTravel the Road

Tim recalled this pivotal turning point on their mission stating, “Even in sight of certain disaster the footage had been recovered, and God had restored all that we had labored for”. The fact that this package was the only cargo salvaged from the crash was a defining moment for the missionaries and represented a time when fate met destiny. Their travels from this point forward would never be the same.

*3 - "Into the Lions' Den" -Tim, Will and Joe departed Addis Ababa east on a 26-hour bus ride to Harar. The missionaries encountered harassment and cursing on the streets of Harar. The anger and despair among the people were evident as Will sarcastically quipped, "Lots of love here". It was evident they were not welcome in Harar, a 1,000 year old Muslim city. As they traveled north to Dire Dawa, Tim and Will experienced a breakthrough in prayer. Tim recalled this powerful time with the Lord, “We just had a huge breakthrough tonight. We held so much bitterness in our hearts towards the people of Harar. We had been cursed on the streets, yelled at on the buses, and told to move far from the area or die”. Could this be a small taste of the persecutions the Lord Himself encountered during his 33 years on earth? Tim continued, “But it wasn’t their words that hurt, it was our response to the persecution that yielded our strong conviction. We had come to Ethiopia to be vessels of light, but we failed in our anger. It was our own iniquity that held us back”. As they confessed their sins unto the Lord, they felt the power of the Holy Spirit anoint their lives and realized, as they huddled in prayer, that a new journey was about to begin. Fresh off their breakthrough in prayer and feeling adventurous, the missionaries took a 10-hour ride to the Awash National Park to experience the Africa they had always dreamed of. Upon arriving, Tim said somewhat prophetically, “We’re on the way to our camp site where lions stalk the tents at night. We’re hoping to see some wildlife tonight”. They would later realize the old adage is true - be careful what you wish for, because it may come true. Once in the African bush, Tim questioned their decision saying, “I can’t say it was the brightest decision to start walking through the bush after we heard the bellows of a lion, but I guess we were curious.” Once settled in for the night, their dream soon became a nightmare as their camp site was stalked by ferocious lions. For several hours of the night, they heard the panting and roars of lions just outside their tent. Tim later recalled what got them through the night, “We prayed and God sent angels and protected us and everything was good. But that will be the last time we’ll be camping in the Awash National Park”. The next morning, sunlight never looked so good as they gazed upon the massive footprints just meters from their tent. After their near death experience in the Awash National Park, the missionaries traveled on, eventually returning to Addis Ababa, where Joe decided it was time to return to the United States after four life-changing months. Tim and Will prayed blessings and a safe return home over Joe. For Tim and Will it seemed a little strange and lonely without Joe, but they realized they had to press on “looking for a place to preach the Gospel”.Tim and Will continued east from Addis Ababa to the town of Gambela near the Sudan border. There they found a Christian church where the people loved the Lord and welcomed them with open arms, a stark contrast to what they had experienced in other regions of Ethiopia. Gambela represented the harsh, physical realities of traveling the road, as they stayed in a 35-cents-per-night hotel. Roosters crowed outside keeping them up most of the night and the outhouse behind the building crawled with maggots. The only provision they had for survival was Ambo bottled water, a far better alternative than the polluted river water the locals drank, but still burned the throat going down. While the lack of physical amenities were obvious, Tim and Will were blessed to see the great things God was doing in the hearts of the Gambela people. For the two missionaries, Gambela refreshed their spirits and made them see more clearly the path the Lord had placed before them.
*4 - "The Heart of Redemption: Burundi to India" - From Ethiopia, the missionaries traveled to central Africa, an area remembered mostly for the massive loss of life from the genocide of the early 1990s. Countries like Rwanda, Burundi, and the Congo stir memories that most people would rather forget. But for those who remained in this war-ravaged land, these memories are a daily reality. Their first stop was a refugee camp in Tanzania, where leprosy and abandonment from their own government left survivors clinging to life and focusing all their energies on obtaining the basic necessities of life. Of this visit, Tim shared his sobering thoughts, “You’re never quite the same after you visit a refugee camp because a face is put to all the stories you’ve heard. It’s at moments like this in your life when you take a long look at what you live for. You either falter or you take a stand for what you believe”. With that unfaltering conviction Tim ministered to the people, whose only possession in life was Jesus in their hearts, the evidence of which was clear in their praise unto the Lord and the light in their eyes.

Political and civil unrest awaited Tim and Will following their 16-hour boat trip from Kigoma, Tanzania to Bujumbura, Burundi. Just two days before they arrived in Burundi, the President of the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo was assassinated by his own bodyguard. Borders were closing and heavy rebel movement had everyone preparing for the worst. Tim’s faith was strong when he said, “nothing could deter us from the purpose we had come for”. They were there to preach the Gospel and, by God’s grace, they would not be denied. Following a day of preaching to some eager Burundi believers, Tim and Will experienced the unrest first-hand when they heard the popping sounds of gunfire in the darkness of night outside their hotel. The intense battle waged with machine guns and other artillery was, in many ways, a type and shadow of a far greater battle being waged for the souls of every man, woman and child in the region.

There seemed to be an urgency the day Tim preached about the blood of Jesus at church in Burundi. The people listened intently and, as they came forward to give their lives to Jesus, God’s Spirit fell upon the people. Tim’s words summarized the desperation of those who had endured years of pain and war, yet responded to God’s Word: “That day in Burundi as the Holy Spirit fell, we saw the message of the Gospel wipe away the blood of the past. It was a message that no war or genocide could steal, because through the blood of Jesus eternal redemption is found and a new creation is formed. It’s the peace of God and life in Him”. This would be the missionaries’ last day in Burundi and they prayed that God would soften the hearts of the people they would journey to next. As they left for India the next day, they would never forget Africa and the people they had come to know as family.

Just days after arriving in India, Tim and Will found themselves among the workers in the Mumbai shipyards. Here men and women worked at deconstructing steel ships that had been sold as scrap after a lifetime of serving their owners on the deep blue seas. The shipyards buzzed with activity, yet danger lurked at every turn. On average 2-3 people die for each ship that was deconstructed, and there is no such thing as acceptable work standards. While walking the shipyards and talking to the workers, Tim and Will learned of a man crushed and killed by two large pieces of steal on a near-by ship. As the commotion mounted, it was hard not to think that this man was a son, a husband, or perhaps a father to a now-orphaned child. The stories that the missionaries heard of or experienced were often gut wrenching and reinforced the notion that traveling the road is not for the faint of heart. One must be called, and called they were as their ministry in India begins.
*5 - "Shadows of Death: India Part 1"-From Mumbai (Bombay), India, Tim and Will go to Hyderabad to see a Canadian evangelist they’ve heard about. The evangelist, Kevin Wagner, puts on these crusades all over the world. The guys meet him before the event begins, and swap testimonies of what the Lord has been doing in each of their ministries. The multitude wanders in, the lights turn on, and Kevin Wagner walks onstage. As he preaches to the crowd, the Spirit moves among the people. The sick and hurting are healed. That night many people came to Christ. The positive response to the Gospel message offers Tim and Will encouragement. Once they saw the obvious hunger for the Word, it became clear that India was waiting for them.

One of the missionaries’ contacts, Gideon, invites them to do work in his native Devarkonda. They gladly accept his offer, despite the reputation of that area. By Indian law, people must register with the government if they decide to convert from Hinduism. This opens the door to persecution. As the guys are on the train, Will recounts the horrifying martyr of Graham Staines and his two sons, which recently took place in the state of Orissa, an area not far from their destination. In January 1999, the Australian missionary and his boys were sleeping peacefully in their station wagon. They awoke when a mob of Hindu extremists set fire to it. The few who tried to help them were prevented by the mob. With their death, the Hindu nationalists sent a message to Christians: Believers are not welcome in India. While technically illegal, the Indian government is lenient toward the persecution of Christians. Fully aware of the danger they will put themselves in, Tim and Will were both resolved to meet the challenge.

In Devarkonda, the guys preach in the villages. It feels good to preach to the people of the village, but not all the inhabitants were excited to see them. The missionaries even encountered hostilities during one of Tim’s sermons. Out of the darkness, a drunken man attacked him. The crowd tried to push him back, but he kept forcing his way to the center. With slurred speech, he shouted at the guys. But this incident didn’t distract from what they were teaching, and Tim finished his sermon. They moved from village to village, teaching the Gospel to whoever would listen. In one village they visited, the people were anxious to hear about Jesus. As the missionaries prayed for the sick, a woman approached Tim, wishing to be rid of her demon-possession. Tim fervently prayed for her, and an intense spiritual battle was waged for several minutes. But with her arms raised victoriously and the name of Jesus on her lips, everyone could see that she was freed of her demon.

After a fruitful time of ministry, it seemed obvious that they were right where God wanted them. Now God called them to another part of India, and the guys headed to the Hindu holy city of Varanassi. Once there, they took a trip down India’s most famous river. They’d often heard about the Ganges, but what they saw there came as a shock. Decaying bodies float by them; stray dogs gnaw at the remains of dead cattle; pilgrims, believing the water to be holy, bathe in the river. As bodies burn on the banks of the Ganges, Tim and Will do the only thing they can-pray. India needs more than what two young missionaries can provide. They need help from a higher power. The guys see the strong grip Hinduism has on the people of India, and how much they need Christ. There is a long road ahead of them.
*6 - "The Untouchable Journey: India Part 2" -Tim and Will take a day to see the sights. Their tour isn’t quite what they hoped for-consisting mostly of souvenir shops and relentless street vendors. But they get to see the world-famous Taj Mahal, if only for a short time. Later, Tim’s brother, Mike (executive producer for the show), arrives in New Delhi. During his stay, he discovers that first impressions can quickly change. What seems to be a wonderful place with good food ultimately turns out to be a difficult place with terrible food (at least to some tastes). While the missionaries enjoyed the time they spent with Mike, they looked forward to getting back to missionary work. They went from the high-priced tourist life in India, straight to the slums of New Delhi. They get to see the ministry of the medical missionaries in those parts.

The two move from New Delhi to Udaipor. They go village to village on scooters to minister to the people there. Due to recent attacks on Christians in the area, they must travel in relative secrecy. While they would have much rather worn short-sleeves in the heat of the day, they deferred to the local believers who advised them on this matter, and dressed in long sleeves. In the summertime this is a pretty miserable experience. They preach and minister to the people, and Tim enjoys some fresh bread cooked in cow dung. Will sits with one of the oldest believers in the village as he recounts his story of how the people came to Christ. It is the powerful story of God bringing a girl back to life. Just a few years earlier, the old man was the one of the only believers in the village. Some of the people told him that a girl had died, and he went to her. He prayed over her, and God brought her back from the dead. The girl was now married and living in a nearby village, so the guys didn’t get the chance to interview her. But the evidence of this miracle is in the many people in town who came to Christ as a result of her resurrection.

The guys travel to Mumbai (Bombay). When they get there, the first order of business is to buy new clothes at the night bazaar. Traveling the road can really wear on one’s wardrobe, especially if you’re wearing the same shirt every day. With their contact’s information, they try to get set up with a translator. The little task turns into quite an ordeal, because the kids (who don’t speak any English) keep answering the phone. After they get someone to talk on the phone for them, they finally get their contact. But if it’s not one thing, then it’s another, and their contacts don’t meet them at the right time. Things eventually work out, and they arrive in the Mumbai slums. The Mumbai slums are among the largest in the world, and the poverty is overwhelming. Once there, Tim and Will visit the schools and some of the families. In the schools they get to teach the kids English, and they see the expansive children’s ministry operating in the slums. They learn that despite the poverty around them, many people are coming to Christ. The hope is in the children that are being ministered to. As they come to know the Lord, and as they grow up, they will become a powerful influence for the kingdom.

From Mumbai, the guys go back to Devarkonda, by way of Hyderbad. The missionaries learn the true meaning of heat as they travel in an old, beat-up jalopy to go village to village. Despite the harsh climate, they preach and minister to the locals. They revisit places they already ministered in, and see some of the fruits of their ministry. One highlight in particular was the woman who was exorcised of her demon who now attends Bible studies. In one village they get to share the Jesus film. Showing the film was a lot trickier than simply plugging in the equipment. They had to wire the electric connection without an outlet. The village was riveted by it, but some of the Hindus in town cut the power. Tim rose to the occasion, and fell into an impromptu sermon. The evening proved fruitful, as one boy came to Christ through it.

*7 - "To the Limits: India Part 3" - In Devarkonda, Tim and Will speak at Pastor Joseph’s church. After speaking there, they are invited to visit his village. The people there ask for a church-currently, the nearest church is a 10-kilometer walk away. Gideon observes that Jengali is in great need of pastors, and informs them that a hut church can be built for only 12,000 rupees, which is about $225 in American currency. The guys decide to take some action, and they get the money to build 3 churches in this area. They leave the funds with Gideon and prepare to leave their ministry in India. With Gideon and Bennet in charge of building the churches, the travelers take time to attend a church dedication in Atmakur. What one might expect to take place during a church dedication does not take place during this church dedication. Instead, highlights of the festivities include dancing, wrestling, and numchucks.

Everyone needs a vacation once in a while and missionaries are certainly no exception. The guys take some time off in Sri Lanka after three months of solid ministry in India. Will describes it as “absolute paradise.” The weather is perfect, the water is beautiful, and everything is just right. They utilize their time by studying the Bible and preparing their hearts for their next ministry. After two weeks of relaxation, they go to New Delhi to pick up gear for an expedition north. They plan to go into the mountains of Leh and minister to the nomads there. Before they leave, they check their e-mail for the last time until their return from Leh. When they do, they get a disturbing message. An e-mail from Gideon tells them that “Joseph is angry,” and “the people are turning against us.” What could the problem be? Without fully understanding the matter, and unable to do anything until after the trip, they focus on their expedition to Leh, in the northern mountains of India. But the mysterious e-mail echoes in their thoughts.

Leh is a troubled area that sees frequent military activity. Add that to the fact that the place they’re headed is only 60 kilometers from Tibet-a country where they had a very difficult time trying to minister and obtain a translator only 10 months earlier-and they’re facing a difficult task. One of the first things they do when they get there is visit a church. Their plans are to go to Tso Moriri, but when the people at the church hear this, they tell them not to go for safety reasons. Tim and Will, two missionaries who have never backed down for fear of their own lives, boldly press on. They sense no danger, and the call of the Holy Spirit beckons. Due to military activity, they can only obtain a 7-day pass in Tso Moriri. They trust God to find a translator-and they do! They find a man who is the leader of a tribe, and he promises to bring them to people who never heard the Gospel. They set out, adjusting to the altitude as they go, and find the people they were looking for. Tim presents the message to a man who has never before heard the name of Christ, and while he works at shearing his sheep, Tim makes a visual demonstration of the cross. In the end, the man accepts Jesus into his heart. After their short ministry ends, they are quickly on their way back to Devarkonda, and arrive there within 48 hours. They must learn what Gideon’s e-mail was about.

What they discover there is betrayal and destruction. The church in Joseph’s village lies in ruins, and most of the building materials stolen. One man in the village even stole 5,000 rupees from the fund. The only evidence of the church site is a hole in the ground. As they dig for the truth, they learn that Joseph falsely suspected Gideon’s church of getting more money than they did. Greed took over, and he demanded more money for a larger church building. After being denied the funds, he went to the government authorities and told them of the church being built in his village. The government told the people of the village that if they didn’t stop building the church, the government would not build their houses. The people gave in. After learning all these things, Tim and Will could hardly sit still. They decide to confront the village on their sin. Tim finds the man who stole the 5,000 rupees, and publicly confronts his sin. The man is moved, and admits his sin, begging forgiveness. He tells of the pain in his hand that occurred after he took the money. In fact, the entire village had experienced much sickness. Tim begins the process of reconciliation with the man, and prays for his forgiveness and healing. The next morning, Tim, Will and Gideon hop in a rickshaw to search for Joseph. They have some hard questions for him. When they arrive at the church he is supposed to be preaching in that morning, he is nowhere to be found. He skipped town altogether, hiding from the village, the missionaries, and from God. The story is not all bad-two other churches were built in Jengali. The events that took place here are a solid reminder that the church of God is not a building. This is at the forefront of the travelers’ minds during their last stop in India-an afternoon at the Calcutta zoo.

*8 - "Face of Terror"- The month of June in Dhaka, Bangladesh, means monsoon season is here. Will describes it as the “Monsoon Capital of the world,” and it doesn’t appear to be an exaggeration. The constant rain serves as an unpleasant backdrop for Tim and Will’s scouting trip to Bangladesh. They get around on one of the 300,000 rickshaws in Dhaka, always haggling with the drivers over the fare. They go to Sylhet, checking out the villages there, hoping for a break in the rain. That didn’t happen. The torrential storms show no signs of letting up for the two missionaries. After their recon mission, they go to Bangkok, Thailand-a gathering place for world travelers destined for Southeast Asia. There they arrange for the visas they’ll need for their trip to Cambodia.

The guys arrive in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The city with a horrid past is now the bustling hub of a booming economy. The ghosts of the past are not easily hidden here, and the memorial at the S-21 death camp is a haunting reminder. The rooms are empty now, and most of the mass graves are exhumed, but the pain remains. Photographs taken by the torturers themselves show the frightened and hopeless faces of the thousands of victims. Paintings recreate the horrors of the torture and murder. Memorials at the Killing Fields act as a reminder of the brutal methods used to kill-everything except for a quick bullet to the head. The skulls of the dead fill a tower. Women and children were not spared, and conservative estimates put the death toll at around 11,000. The wickedness of the Pol Pot regime only enhances the missionaries’ drive to bring the positive message of Christ to the people of Cambodia.

A visit to the famous Angkor Wat temples brings out “the Indiana Jones” in the guys. As Tim and Will wander around this ancient site, the need to share Christ with the people here weighs heavily on them. Hang-ups with their contacts have slowed things down for them, but their trust in the Lord pays off in the end. They find a Christian church, and someone to translate for them. With both of those things going for them, they waste no time in getting to work. They go from family to family in the village, telling everyone they encounter about Christ. By the end of their trip to Cambodia seven people came to the Lord.

On a whim, the missionaries decide to scout out Laos for the team that will be arriving soon. From Haux Sai, Laos, they head to Luang Namtha. During an uncomfortable truck ride through thick mud, they encounter obstacle after obstacle. A landslide must be cleared and logs must be chopped and moved, but a river from the monsoon finally stops them. The next day they discover that they’d been headed in the wrong direction the entire time. They quickly make tracks for the correct destination, since their visas are set to expire soon. On the day of September 11, 2001, passing travelers ask the two missionaries if they’d heard of the news in America. Tim and Will hadn’t, so they listened in on the short wave radio as the terror unfolded. They reflect on the gravity of the situation, and Tim notes the contrast between the bold approach of a terrorist as he destroys and the bold approach of a Christian as he gives the Gospel. He also added that this didn’t change their mission in the least. In fact, it only made them redouble their efforts. If thousands can die within minutes, then people must hear the name of Christ as soon as possible, because they might not get another chance.

*9 - "To the Breaking Point"-Tim and Will prepare for Laos, but this time they’re not alone. Enter the Team: Mike, Rodney, Paul, and Russ. They all meet up in Thailand, take the train into Laos, and after a long bus ride and a flat tire, they arrive in Muang Khua. Their mission: to find a remote village of unreached people in the Laos jungle. Their mode of transport: a speedboat up the Namo River. Their destination: Phongsali. After the boat ride, they must ride in the back of a truck with a live pig intended for their future meal. When they get to Phongsali, they scour the area for someone to act as translator and guide. They find someone who speaks English, and he says he can take them to one of the remote villages. They are all excited about going out the next morning, although something doesn’t feel quite right.

Thick brush, no trail, and no machetes make for an exceedingly difficult hike. They battle steep hills, endure scratches from protruding branches, and attempt to avoid blood-sucking leeches attacking every part of their bodies. Tim and Will, the experienced travelers of the group, begin to suspect that the guide is lost. They try to allay the fears of the other guys by making jokes, but tensions and fears continue to rise. As they claw their way up the hill, the team’s spirit spirals down. They don’t know where they are, some of them need medical attention, and everyone is exhausted. With Divine Providence, they find a hut where they can spend the night. There they examine each other for leeches, including a full cavity search. The leeches were all over their bodies. The guide even found one in his urethra!

The next morning they prepared to go out again. In contrast to the previous morning, today there is a somber lack of enthusiasm among the guys. They try to keep their minds on the mission, and not on their current troubles. Taking note of yesterday’s trials, they take measures to keep the leeches out. Tim leech-proofs his feet, and they are back to looking for a trail. They quickly find that morale isn’t the only thing that’s low; they’re running out of water. With the grace of God they find the trail, but they still seem hopelessly lost, and the guide isn’t quite oriented yet. Eventually he figures it out, and after a six-hour hike they find the village they were seeking. Paul recounts his battle with sickness through the trek and a couple nasty falls, while Russ tells of a near-fatal fall. To add to all their hardships, they are unable to minister as they had hoped. Despite their trials, they are encouraged at God’s faithfulness in keeping them alive.

The Team takes the long road home. On the speedboat back, they realize just how faithful God was to them. Even though they didn’t get to do ministry as they intended, they still experienced the power of Christ in their lives and learned a heavy lesson on perseverance. Once they arrive at the Laos/Thailand border, they must determine who gets the three good seats, and who gets the three bad seats. After their recent experience, this is a much bigger deal than it might sound. To be completely unbiased, Tim draws names out of a hat. Rodney gets one of the good tickets, and coincidentally, so do Tim and Will. Mike, Russ, and Paul are stuck in coach. As the train leaves Laos, the Team leaves behind a major life experience, and they can only hope that one day they can return.

*10 - "Looking Back: Journey to Papua New Guinea"-Tim, Will, and Paul enjoy a time of worship during their first week in Papua New Guinea. It’s Tim and Will’s first time back since their trip in 1998, and they’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. They are visiting with fellow believers in the village of Poon, but before that, they experienced politics PNG-style. At a sing-sing a ceremonial dance a political rally is held for an upcoming election. The people were happy, and many painted their bodies to promote their candidate. The featured guest of the festivities was the former prime minister of Papua New Guinea. Like so many of the people in this country, the former prime minister was approachable and friendly a testament to the laid-back nature of the people there. But before the sing-sing...

The guys get off the plane and head to Mt. Hagen to begin their ministry in Papua New Guinea. On their way, they encounter a strange sight. They see people covered in ash many of them crying. The missionaries are taken aback by this scene, and learn that a major leader of some sort died. There was apparently a funeral procession going through at the same time as them. When their taxi drops them off at the place they were supposed to stay at, they find the place deserted. They decided that since it was Sunday, everyone was at church. In the Central Market in Mt. Hagen, they start an open-air preaching ministry. The people are attentive as Tim delivers the Gospel message. Unlike some of the places they’ve been, the people here are friendly and welcoming to the missionaries. It’s obvious why Tim and Will were so anxious to return to this unique land. But before they went to Papua New Guinea...

The trio makes a stop in Malaysia to visit a couple that Tim and Will stayed with on their previous missionary trip. They enjoy their time there, except for one particular dish at mealtime. Their hosts, Colin and Karen, offer them the King of Fruits, known to most people as durian. The fruit is revered in Southeast Asia, but Westerners typically despise it. Our culturally adaptable missionaries men who have eaten everything from bread cooked in dung to goat testicles are no exceptions. Will couldn’t choke the fruit down if it meant world peace, and Tim has to spit it out in the toilet. Only Paul manages to get some of it past the esophagus, though not with a great deal of pleasure. There visit ends, and they go to the Singapore airport to hop on a plane to Papua New Guinea. But before they tasted durian... In Myanmar (formerly Burma), the missionaries take a 2-day boat trip to Bhamo, which they find to be the most relaxing method of travel they’ve experienced so far. In Bhamo, they pass Buddhist monasteries, and Tim gets the chance to witness with some of the nuns there. After Myanmar, they journey to Malaysia, where they meet a woman named Lenny who invites them to speak at her home church in Indonesia. The guys hadn’t planned on going into Indonesia, but after some persuasion, they made a spur-of-the-moment decision, and finally agreed to make the quick detour. Though they were repeatedly warned by family and friends to stay out of Indonesia for safety reasons, they pressed on. In Indonesia they minister near Lake Toba. Tim gets to preach in a church, and after only a brief visit, their time in Indonesia comes to a close. They board a ship resembling a ‘third-world Titanic’ to Malaysia, which is more cost-effective than a plane.
*11 - "The Dark River"- Tim, Will, and Paul take a small plane to the Sepik River, the second largest river in Papua New Guinea, the equivalent of the Nile to Egypt or the Amazon to South America. The plane is so tiny that the travelers must weigh themselves, and everything they bring on the plane. Their destination is Ambunti, which has no roads leading to it. The only way to get there is boat or plane. As they fly, signs of civilization disappear. They see scattered huts and villages, and are amazed at the remoteness of these places. The plane lands in Ambunti, but their trip isn’t over. They set their sights on Mowi.

Within 3 hours they secure everything they need for their trip to Mowi, which they will be taking by canoe up the murky waters of the Sepik. The canoe they rented was large, but it didn’t look quite large enough, considering all the supplies they were bringing with them. These supplies included several gallons of gasoline, since it will be literally impossible to find anywhere they are going. Somehow everything manages to fit, and they set off on the croc-infested waters. The people they are going to minister to believe in witchcraft more than Jesus, so it won’t be an easy ministry for the missionaries. Their arrival at one village was expected, so they are welcomed with leas.

They begin a ministry of preaching and praying in the villages. It doesn’t always go smoothly, and drunken men often interrupt their sermons. Alcoholism and abuse has plagued this area. It is an exceptionally hard mission field. Tim and Will speculate that these problems could have been a contributing factor to the exodus of the missionaries that once ministered here. Evidence of their presence is found in the abandoned homes and runways they built. Will speculates that they must have left in a hurry, because they left behind a lot of things. The three missionaries can only wonder what made these servants of God leave. Were they forced out, or was it some other reason? In any case, the people of this area are without teaching and discipleship.

The guys ease into life on the Sepik, and soon fully adapt to it. They add crocodile to their already diverse list of food they’ve eaten. In Mowi, everything seems to revolve around the Sepik. The guys even bathe in it-careful to avoid crocodiles of course. They learn to cover every part of exposed skin in mosquito repellant, and spend a good deal of time in mosquito nets. Life in Papua New Guinea is unlike life anywhere else, and time seems to slip away for the three. As they recline on the porch at sunset, they remember that it is only nine days until Christmas. They adapt in every way, including their ministry. They preach on boats to the people, who are also in boats, as well as trees. When it finally comes time to leave, they reflect on just how far the Gospel has reached throughout their travels. With only a month to go, there is still much to do.

*12 - "The Journey Home" -Tim, Will, and Paul spend their Christmas Eve on a boat-which isn’t nearly as enjoyable as you might think. They learned what presents stuffed in stockings must feel like. The 2-day trip made their arrival in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea extra-merry. Once on land, they celebrate the birth of Christ at a local church. The services are much different than those in the US, but the spirit is the same. They spend time fellowshipping with the nationals, and have a happy Yule (even though it didn’t snow).

As the preparations for the big New Year’s festivities go on, the guys drop in on the local families for visits. They travel throughout the New Ireland province of PNG, and find the people to be very friendly. One of the highlights of the week was the slaughtering of the pig for the New Year’s celebration. The sight isn’t really appealing to American eyes, but it promised a large feast. The missionaries spent a lot of time with the children. The kids had their own style of surfing on homemade boards-which Tim got the honor of naming! Eventually, Tim got a hankering for coconuts. The problem: the coconuts are really high up in the trees. The solution: one of the local kids went up to get them. Though it appeared to be a pretty harrowing task, the child had obviously made the trip several times in his short life.

They’re on the last leg of their missionary journey, and what trip would be complete without a shark fishing trip? So the guys set out with an experienced fisherman to catch a shark. They find their fair share of adventures during this little excursion. First they must outrun a storm, and then they match their strength against a feisty marlin-conquering it in the end. Their sense of triumph can hardly be put into words, and Will proudly displays their trophy-if only he hadn’t done that. As he releases the giant fish, the mighty sea monster gnashes back in one final strike for sweet revenge. Will is severely cut on his knee, forcing the trip to come to a close. Once on shore, Will is stitched up, and the marlin is cut open. He didn’t have health insurance, so the hospital charge him the entire 19 cents in fees.

They continue to go from place to place, as they’ve become accustomed to doing, teaching the Word. They visit local places of interest, like a museum of old Japanese World War II planes, just like they usually do. They try to absorb the native culture, just as they always have. But this time is different. This time it marks they end of a long trip. As they do these things, they can look back on everything they’ve been through. They’ve been through it all, and created a lifetime of memories in the process. They’ve touched lives across the continents, and brought the Gospel to the most remote of places. Their trip comes to an end, and they return to the United States-but their travels are far from over.

eason 2: 2006 [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780441/episodes IMDB Episode Synopsis] ]

*1 - "The Journey Continues: Los Angeles" -The journey continues as missionaries Tim Scott and Will Decker return home to America. We now find them struggling to adjust to life in Los Angeles where everything seems so foreign. After surviving a near fatal car accident these two daring missionaries say a painful goodbye to those they love and once again journey into the unknown. Armed only with a backpack, a change of clothes and their Bibles, Tim and Will depart for the most dangerous and remote lands on the planet. From the jungles of Borneo to the snow covered mountains of Tibet and through the war-zones of Afghanistan the missionaries encounter Taliban gunfights, Siberian blizzards, bandits and sacrificial burials as they risk their lives to preach the gospel. Matthew 24:14 - And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

*2 - "The Lost Tribe: Borneo Part 1" - The missionaries set off on the first leg of their mission trip. They travel from The United States to Japan and then on to Malaysia. From Kuala Lumpur they travel to Borneo, arriving in the village of Bario. It is here that Will and Tim identify the Penong, a remote jungle people, as the targets for their mission work in Borneo. As a result of this choice, they decide to embark on a gruelling hike through the dense jungle to the small Penong village of Patik.

*3 - "The Lost Tribe: Borneo Part 2" - Will and Tim continue their mission work in Borneo. The episode follows them on their trek to Patik, an isolated village located in the dense jungle of Borneo, where they meet with members of the Penong tribe, a remote jungle people. While in Patik they gain insight into the destructive effects of logging on both the natural environment as well as the native Penong. Having witnessed the impact of the large-scale destruction first-hand, they decide to return to the stone quarry near Bario (visited in The Lost Tribe: Borneo Part 1) and minister to the needs of the Penong workers by providing them with new shoes. Also, watch as Tim and Will hunt through the forest and are attacked by leeches.
*4 - "The Quest: Road To Tibet Part 1" - Will and Tim leave Borneo for Thailand. They arrive in Bangkok where they plan to stay for ten days while preparing for their journey to China. However, they eventually decide not to stay in Bangkok, opting instead to travel to Koh Phi Phi, a beautiful island in Southern Thailand. This peaceful environment contrasts markedly with the noisy bustle of busy Bangkok and allows them to focus more clearly on the journey ahead. Following their brief but restful stay at Koh Phi Phi, Will and Tim travel to China, arriving in the city of Chengdu. They then undertake a lengthy bus trip to the city of Kangding, situated close to the China-Tibet border. Isaiah 40:8 - The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.
*5 - "The Quest: Road To Tibet Part 2" - Will and Tim begin their mission work in China. Having arrived in the city of Kangding on the China-Tibet border, Will and Tim discover that they are ill-prepared for the extremely cold conditions associated with the convert|7000|ft|m|abbr=on elevation and decide to go shopping for appropriate clothing. Suitably attired, they then travel to the city of Litang (15 000 ft elevation), an isolated city with a large Tibetan population. It is here that a Chinese man offers to take Will and Tim to a remote Buddhist monastic village. Recognising this as an opportunity to minister to the Tibetan people, most of whom have never heard the gospel, Tim and Will enthusiastically accept the invitation. Upon arriving at the village, Will and Tim are made to feel welcome and are even able to meet with and pray for the head Lama. As they reflect on the situation, Will and Tim are convinced that their mission work in the remote outpost is far from over and decide to extend their stay at the village and continue their ministry.
*6 - "Sky Burial: Predators of the Air" - This episode is the only episode to have a "Viewer Discretion is Advised" message at the beginning of the program, due to graphic content involved in the Sky Burial. Deuteronomy 28:26 - Your carcasses will be food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to frighten them away.
*7 - "Scouting Mission: China North to South" - The reminder of Communism still looms in the air as Tim and Will journey to China to preach the Gospel.
*8 - "The Storm: Gobi Desert" - After sharing the Gospel with nomads, Tim and Will make the trek back to 
Ulaanbaatar but get caught in a deadly storm along the way. With nowhere to go
and temperatures plummeting to -40, these two missionaries struggle to find safety and shelter.
*9 - "The Reindeer Tribe: Steppes of Siberia Part 1" - Tim and Will travel by horseback in the snow to reach the mysterious Reindeer Tribe. Also, listen to one family’s amazing testimony.
*10 - "The Reindeer Tribe: Steppes of Siberia Part 2" - After sharing the Gospel with the Reindeer Tribe, Tim and Will find themselves in need of transportation. Watch as they doubtfully accept a ride with two suspicious men who later threaten their lives.
*11 - "Behind the Curtain: Eastern Europe" -After taking part in a camel race in Mongolia, Tim and Will journey to Eastern Europe where they visit the memorial site of Auschwitz and encounter the eerie past of World War II.
*12 - "Journey to the Line: Afghanistan Part 1" Tension is high on the streets of Kabul as Tim and Will drift through the war ridden city trying to find a safe haven for their time in Afghanistan. Also, watch as Tim and Will share the Gospel with some of our own country men.
*13 - "Terrors of the Night: Afghanistan Part 2" - Tim and Will graciously accept an invitation by the U.S. military to go on night patrol in a high activity area.
*14 - "Fog of War: Afghanistan Part 3" - It is Tim and Will’s last day in Afghanistan. Watch as they say a tearful goodbye to the friends they’ve made and travel on to preach the Gospel to nomads in the countryside.

eason 3: 2007-2008

TBA.

eason 4: TBA

Tim and Will’s next journey will start by venturing down the mighty Amazon River by boat, and from the watery highway they will penetrate deep into the jungles of Brazil and Peru by foot. The mission will be to seek out remote and distant indigenous tribes and present the Gospel for the first time. From South America, the expedition will bring Tim and Will back to the war zones of Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and Somalia, where intense fighting has cut off villages and tribes from active mission work. Also slated are the journeys to the San people of Namibia, Tibetan highlanders, tree dwellers of West Papua, Cargo Cult of Vanuatu, Pygmies slaves of Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Arctic Reindeer Tribes, child fighters of Liberia, the Hmong tribe of Vietnam.

References